Thousands of drivers were stuck in gridlock yesterday in Hartford and some of the suburbs due to blizzard snow removal on Interstate 84. While frustrated folks were looking for a way off the highway that would only dump them into another traffic jam, many drivers gave a double take when they spotted what appeared to be Taylor Swift sitting in the passenger seat of a car that was also in a state of inertia in a sea of stuck vehicles.

It was actually a cardboard cutout of the pop star, that was seated right next to Kara Sundlun for her ride home in her Buick Verano. Here’s the back story. Our daughter is a big Taylor Swift fan, and when I spotted a life-sized cardboard cutout at the drug store, I asked the manager if I could have it when it was no longer needed.

That day came this week, and I was driving Kara’s car at the time, so I tossed it in the passenger seat and headed to work. Kara took the car home and got stuck in that highway mess for an hour and a half. She told me people pointed and laughed at her carpool buddy, and some even commented. Watch Kara talking about it on Better Connecticut: http://www.wfsb.com/category/211200/better-connecticut

I scored some big daddy points at home. My daughter was thrilled by my acquisition. Here she is in 2009 dancing and singing to one her Taylor Swift favorites.